The Forest's Secret
by TheRaven'sDesk
Summary: Once upon a time, deep in the forest,there lived a creature. To the villagers, the creature was just another magical being to fear, to keep their children safe from, and, if it did exist, to avoid at all costs. Yes, even Rumpelstiltskin knew that they must avoid him. Belle thinks otherwise...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Characters, plots, and settings belong to their rightful owners (ABC, Disney, Brothers Grimm, etc.).**

_****"I walked across an empty land_  
_I knew the pathway like the back of my hand_  
_I felt the earth beneath my feet_  
_Sat by the river and it made me complete_  
_Oh simple thing where have you gone?_  
_I'm getting old and I need something to rely on_  
_So tell me when you're gonna let me in_  
_I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin" _

"Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane

Rumpelstiltskin watched with wide eyes from behind the brush as the group of children surrounded the girl. Well, a group of ten boys to be precise. The people of the nearby village had never ventured into this part of the woods and with good reason: the demon child lived there. On the days where he practiced his invisibility trick, he would venture into the village and hear the whispers of the "demon" that dwelled in the forest. Many thought he was just a small and ancient being of legend that would steal their children at the given opportunity to make them his next meal. Had they known that he was just a lonely creature who was but nine years old, they would not have said such things.

He knew that because of their fear of him, he should never travel into the village. The only time he had ever done this without his invisibility enchantment was when he was only three years of age. At this age a human toddler would have been unable to have survived in the forest for so long, but Rumpelstiltskin was not human. In the village he had met Zoso, the village witch doctor, who had gazed in wonder at the golden-skinned creature. He remembered how he had picked him up and cradled him like a child. "I shall call you...Rumpelstiltskin."

His memories were momentarily interrupted as the group in front of him became louder.

"You know what my Papa said about going into the woods, Gaston!" It was quite a bossy and know it all voice that had spoken and it belonged to the girl in the middle of it all. She was small and fought to keep her unruly curly hair out of her face while simultaneously carrying a rather large book. Her manner of speaking was one he had never heard before and her dress indicated that she was of noble birth: it's sky blue color was one he had never seen on the commoners of the village.

The boy she was talking to was the tallest of the group, certainly taller than Rumpelstiltskin, and he rolled his eyes as he brandished his wooden sword. The boy had dark hair, striking features and also wore the clothes of nobility.

"You should have said that when we first entered, or are you afraid of the demon?"

The surrounding group of boys all laughed as she became red-faced.

"I am _not_ afraid!" Her back straightened and she held her head up just a little higher.

"Oh _really_?" Gaston circled her and continued, "You know he eats children, especially _girls_ who read silly books!"

"Papa said-"

"Papa, oh papa, come help me!" Rumpelstiltskin wrinkled his nose as Gaston mocked her.

"Stop it!" she yelled, her face growing redder and tears were now on the verge of spilling.s Rumpelstiltskin felt like enchanting stones and sending them their way. He had never been this close to such a large group of children and he now saw that perhaps all those year of longing to play with the village children were misspent. These children deserved to be eaten. It was a shame that he only ate vegetables. He pointed to a tree nearby and sent an enchantment that snapped a few limbs towards the forest floor.

The children fell silent but Gaston pressed on. "What did you bring the stupid book for anyways? Don't you know how to play?"

Gaston reached for her book and tried to pull it away but she refused to hand it over without a fight.

"Let GO!" she yelled and then kicked him in the shin, resulting in the taller boy letting go of the book. He balled his fists and a scowl appeared on his face.

"You'll pay for that!" he said in a murderous tone. The little girl held the book tight to her chest and Rumpelstiltskin was ready to scare them into leaving his home.

"GET OUT!" he boomed, enchanting his voice to resonate throughout most of the forest. The boys screamed and began to run back towards the way they came. Gaston did so as well but not before shoving the girl forcefully to the floor and leaving her there.

"Wait!" she cried, beginning to sob as the boy disappeared into the trees. Her pretty blue dress and face were now covered in the mud she had landed on but she payed no attention to that as she reached for her now ruined book. She carefully picked it up and tried in vain to clean it with her soiled dress.

Rumpelstiltskin turned his back on her and prepared himself to venture deeper into the woods. However, her sobs and her inability to get up and go home stalled him.

He had remembered crying only a few times when he was younger and the last time he had cried was because he had enchanted a chicken to fly like a falcon but it had only resulted in the poor animal losing its head. Zoso had found him crying in the small hut he had built for him and Rumpelstiltskin began to cry harder when he gave him a confused look.

"There, there Rumpelstiltskin. What is the matter?" Zoso said softly, rubbing circles into his small back. He had been only five years of age then.

"I-I killed the chicken." His voice was small and he cast his gaze downwards.

Zoso flashed a momentary look of worry before asking what happened with trepidation. "Did you do this purposefully? To harm the animal?"

"No, I wanted to make it fly but-but I killed it instead."

The older man smiled and chuckled and realized the young magical creature was looking up to him with a look of concern.

"I _am_ telling the truth!"

"Yes, yes Rumpel, but you...well you...come here," he sat at the large rocking chair at the farthermost corner of the hut and placed the small Rumpelstiltskin atop his lap. "Sometimes we as..._people_ make mistakes that we cannot fix. We also learn from our mistakes. Will you be enchanting chickens to fly again?"

Rumpelstiltskin nodded no vigorously.

"See, and the next time you use your magic you must be wary of using it for amusement-"

"Is that why I am not allowed in the village Zoso? Because my magic is dangerous?"

The boy's sorrowful look pained the older man. He knew the small creature was asking more than that.

"Yes my boy, unfortunately, not everyone enjoys the wonders of magic."

Rumpelstiltskin sighed as her sobs became louder and turned around to emerge out of the brush slowly and quietly. She was sobbing into her dress, her book long forgotten in the puddle of mud nearby. Her head snapped to where he had stepped on a few leaves and she began to retreat as quickly as she could.

"Please don't eat me!" she looked so distraught that it angered him.

"I am _not_ going to eat you!" he said a little louder than he had intended to. She relaxed momentarily before she took in his appearance. He knew his skin was not like theirs. The texture was rough in a few places and varied between gold and an underlying green tone that came and went. His nails were black and were longer than he had seen on the villagers and his eyes were a striking yellow. Zoso dressed him in mismatched clothes that were far different than the pastels and soft browns the children wore.

"Are you going to skin me alive?"

"Why would I do that?" Rumpelstiltskin was getting more and more aggravated with her questions. He had always wondered what it was like to meet another villager but perhaps Zoso had been right: they would never be able to understand him for who he really was.

She hiccuped once and ceased her sobbing. Mud still covered her face but he could see clear cerulean eyes underneath all the filth. With a swift movement she was up and on her feet and approached him slowly as if he were a wild animal who should not be startled. She stopped when she was an arm's length away and locked eyes with him.

Rumpelstiltskin was a little taller than her but the way she was staring at him made him feel smaller than he actually was.

"Why do you look like that?" she asked as she stretched out her hand and touched his cheek softly.

"Because I am made of magic." He simply repeated what Zoso had told him. Rumpelstiltskin thought that perhaps she was dangerous but Zoso had never told him he couldn't interact with a person _inside_ the forest, only outside of it.

Her eyes widened in amazement.

"Magic?" she asked in wonder. Her whole face lit up and the smile she put on made him feel much better about how different he looked. "My book talks about magic! It has all these wonderful stories of it and- and it's ruined." She looked sorrowfully at the book on the floor. He picked it up and held it up for them to see.

"We can try cleaning it by the stream," he suggested. The book was far heavier than he had thought and he looked upon it in amazement. Zoso never brought books but Rumpelstiltskin had only seen the nobles of the village with possession of them.

"Oh can we? I hope we can, my mama gave it to me just yesterday and I didn't mean to get it dirty. What's your name?"

"My name?" he asked stupidly, momentarily forgetting the first word he had learned to speak.

"Yes silly." She looked at him with expectant eyes.

"Oh, it's Rumpelstiltskin."

"Rum-pel-stilt-skin? That's a nice name, how do you spell it?" she asked as she began to follow him to the stream.

"Spell? Like magic?" he looked down at the book in his hands and saw strange symbols glittering out from under the mud.

"No I mean how do you write it?"

"I-I can't write."

She let out an audible gasp. "Didn't your mama ever teach you to write?"

If Rumpelstiltskin had their kind of skin, he would surely look as red as she had earlier.

"I don't have a mama." He had often wondered what it would have been like to have one of those.

"What about your papa? Couldn't he teach you how to write?" her look of concern grew more and more as her brows furrowed.

Zoso was the closest thing to a father that he would ever have but even so, he knew that the older man was not his real father. He also knew mentioning Zoso would compromise the older man's situation in the village.

"I don't have a papa either."

Her gaze fell on him as he tried so desperately to look straight ahead. He had been warned by Zoso many times that the villagers did not like anything that was different from themselves, especially creatures that did not know where they had come from.

"Well, I'll teach you to write," she responded, the kindest smile showing through the now dried mud. "I get lessons from my governess and sometime my mama gives me lessons, too. I can teach you what they teach me!"

He nodded his head silently as they reached the stream.

"My name is Belle," she said happily, curtseying before him. Rumpelstiltskin ignored it and started to wash away the mud carefully from the book's binding.

"You're supposed to bow Rumpelstiltskin, like this." Her eyes looked expectantly at him as she bent in that odd way.

"Why?" he had successfully cleaned the outside of the book and opened it to see the ink begin to run from the muddy water it had landed on. He had once restored a broken figurine Zoso had brought for him and he placed one hand on the pages of the book and concentrated to try to repeat the act. Belle stared in amazement as he closed his eyes and purple smoke emanated from his hand.

"You did it!" Belle yelled and jumped as she looked at her newly restored book. He let his breath out and felt relieved that he replicated his magic without mistake. The pictures in the book showed a knight fighting a monster and a woman dressed regally and cowering behind him.

"Let me clean myself and I'll read it to you." He watched as she scrubbed at the mud on her face with the water and partially washed it off of her hair, making it even more unruly than it had been before. Once her face was free of the filth she smiled widely at him and sat down, pointing to the spot next to her for him to sit. Rumpelstiltskin looked at her in marvel as he felt his heart flutter. He had never been up close with another child, or girl for that matter, and all he wanted to do was stare at her and watch her every move. With the book now between both of them she began to read in the most captivating way.

"Once upon a time, in a land far, far away..." He had never been so entranced by anything or anyone. Zoso had had a multitude of tricks that Rumpelstiltskin would simply gaze in wonder at but Belle's reading put him at ease. It turned out the knight had fallen in love, a new concept to Rumpel, with the _princess_, or the daughter of a king. She had been taken by this creature and with the help of a magical fairy, the knight was able to rescue her.

"What is he doing to her?" he asked innocently as the picture showed the two protagonists touching lips to lips.

"They're kissing Rumpelstiltskin, when two adults are in love they kiss."

"Why?"

Belle furrowed her brows, something she did often. She was seven and smart but she hadn't given thought to the idea of _why_ adults kiss, just that they do.

"I-I don't know," Belle responded defeatedly. "I'll go ask mama! She should know," her tone returned to a more cheerful one and she stood to leave with her large book held tight against her chest. Rumpelstiltskin felt as if he was losing the warmth of a flame on a cold winter's night.

"Come with me," she asked excitedly, "we'll ask mama together."

"I can't leave the forest," he said as he stood as well. He hadn't told Zoso about his secret excursions into the village but he felt as though that should be kept secret from this girl as well.

"Well, we can walk together until the forest stops and I'll come back tomorrow and tell you what she said." It sounded more like she was asking permission.

He stayed quiet and walked by her side to the edge of the forest. She asked an awful lot of questions that he would simply nod yes or no to. Once they reached where the forest met the outskirts of the village she turned to face him.

"Do you like living in the forest?" Her head tilted and he couldn't help but notice as she looked from the forest to the sky and then to the village and the somewhat large castle atop its largest hill.

He nodded yes automatically. His wavy hair covered his face as he looked at his feet.

"Will you meet me here tomorrow at noon? When the sun is at its highest? I- I don't want to get lost looking for you..."her voice trailed off as she looked towards the sun which was dangerously close to sunset.

Rumpelstiltskin nodded again. His feet had become quite interesting enclosed in the shoes Zoso had brought him.

"You promise?" Belle asked, anticipation on her features.

He brought his eyes up to meet hers. "I promise."

She exhaled and looked cheerful once more. "Then you can hold my book for me and I will come read to you tomorrow." Belle shoved the book forcefully into his hands and started running towards the village. It was a long stretch of grass and he marveled as her skirts bellowed behind her. She tripped only once, then turned around and waved at Rumpelstiltskin happily and continued to run.

He knew he did not have much practice in appearing and reappearing out of thin air but he shut his eyes and hoped he would get it right. Rumpelstiltskin opened one and then the other and frantically hid the large book under his bed of hay, ignoring the fact that he had done his trick successfully and transported himself to his small hovel. He repeated the process and jumped happily as he found himself once more where he had left Belle, who was now a small figure that was nearing the small houses. As his invisibility enchantment took effect, he felt himself run after her at a much faster speed than any human could ever run. He dodged vendors and villagers on their way to their homes but never once did he take his eyes off of her. When he neared her in the village square, an impressively dressed man approached her and led her to a grand carriage, the nicest he had ever seen, and he watched as it took her up the main path towards the castle. It was as far as Rumpelstiltskin would follow but at least he had made sure she was heading somewhere safe.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to all for your kind reviews! Those are always appreciated. I know that Rumpel isn't his usual snarky self but I assure you that he will be appearing soon after this.**

**Disclaimer: The only way I will ever come close to owning any part of Once Upon a Time is by buying the entire season one (which comes out in August for me). Other than that, all characters, plots, situations, props, etc. belong to ABC.**

Belle ran towards the entrance of the castle and stopped at once when she saw her father standing there with half the court of nobles behind him. A very guilty looking Gaston was at his side.

"BELLE!" her father yelled as he embraced her and held her tighter than she had ever felt him do.

"Papa! I was in the-" she drifted as she realized the implications of what could happen if she told the truth.

"Gaston tells me that you stayed behind in the fields to read," he turned to the boy with a distasteful look on his face. "Is this true?"

Belle turned to Gaston who was looking at her with a false smile. His very culpable eyes confirmed that he was wishing she would agree. She paused and nodded in agreement.

"Yes Papa, I stayed behind and read my book but I fell asleep and I didn't wake until later. It was my fault Papa, I...I really wanted to enjoy the peacefulness of the fields."

Sir Maurice looked at his daughter in a loving way. He wanted to punish her for her dangerous mistake but he would only be punishing her for frightening him. Her mother was not told a single thing for she did not need to be worried at all in her current state. He could not punish his beloved Belle. She looked so much like her mother with her wild curly hair and heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a mixture of his and her grandmother's, and he simply could not see them shed tears.

"Alright Belle, go greet your mother and clean up for dinner."

Her face lit up and she gracefully ascended the stairs and bolted to her mother's boudoir once she was out of the nobles' sight. The hallways were covered in tapestries and works of art that served as landmarks for the young girl. Once she reached the very big painting of a very large lady she knew she had reached her destination. She knocked softly on the cream colored door and heard her mother's soft voice say "enter." Belle had been told to be gentle around her mother and she entered as quietly as a mouse. It was a beautiful sight to see her mother smiling at her with all her love. Like Belle, Lady Audrey had thick brown hair that curled around her head. Her soft brown eyes met the small girl's cerulean ones. The small girl hesitated as she took in the sight of her mother's pale skin. Her mother's smile filled Belle's heart with joy and it indicated that she could proceed. As she sat by her mother on the ottoman by her feet, the older woman set her tea down on the table besides her. She saw as her mother grimaced upon sitting up but felt relief when her smile returned.

"Belle, why are you so dirty my dear? Did you have fun with Gaston?" She was never strict and Belle gave her mother no reason to ever be upset.

"Well, I didn't really play with Gaston, I, uh, stayed behind in a field and read." Belle was lying for the second time and to her mother of all people. A feeling of regret filled her but she tried to make up for it with the next statement.

"There was a boy-"

"A boy?" Lady Audrey's look of concern worried Belle.

"Oh he was so kind to me Mama, he helped me clean my book because I accidentally dropped it in the dirt. I read to him Mama, someone _finally_ let me read to them!"

Belle sighed dreamily and her mother could not help but knit her eyebrows at the wistful smile spreading across her daughter's face. No one in the court really took her daughter's love of books as a virtue. It was something that was considered more of a nuisance. She knew this was nothing they would ever say to her person but Belle _was_ a smart child and she could not ignore the strange looks and hushed whispers.

"Just be wary, my child,"she responded quietly, brushing her hand against Belle's cheek. "Commoners may want to take advantage of your nobility in many different ways. I cannot stress enough that you should always be accompanied by your chaperone."

Belle knew this meant she would have to hide more things from her loved ones but Rumpelstiltskin was the only one who had ever made her feel as if she were not some oddity that should be pushed into a corner of the room for fear of upsetting the guests. Her father supported her reading but begged her to not read at dinner parties or social outings.

"I will be careful Mama."

"Good, now go get cleaned up I- I think I will just head to bed now." The pained look on her face returned and she rang the bell on the small table. Lady Audrey looked at her child longingly. Both mother and daughter shared a passion for literature but her health meant that she could only stand excitement for short periods of time and having Belle around, although it was what she wanted most, hurt both of them. She tore her gaze from her daughter and instead turned it to the drawn drapes of the window.

Belle stood and made to leave but not before asking her mother one more thing. "Mama, why do the characters in my book kiss?"

Her mother smiled but kept her gaze on the luxurious fabric. "I cannot explain it my dear. When two people love each other, they kiss because they _feel_ like they need to. I promise you will understand when you fall in love."

The thud of the door closing signaled Belle's departure and the Lady felt as the tears finally trailed down her cheeks. She hated to send her away but her pain meant she would soon be in a foul mood. Belle was her world and hurting her was out of the question.

"I hope you will be given the opportunity to be with the man you love just like I was." She spoke as if it hurt her and uncharacteristically scowled when the servant girl entered.

"I'm sorry ma'am, they needed an extra hand for the dinner prepera-"

"Just help me to bed," she was too tired to yell at the girl. After all, she was not at fault for her illness.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin had stared at the picture with the knight and maiden kissing for a little while and set the book down when he became frustrated with the strange symbols that Belle had been able to read to him so easily. He usually awoke before the sun rose and his excitement grew as he waited for the sun to be at its highest. His heightened sense of hearing alerted him that Zoso was less than a hundred feet away which made him jump and carelessly stuff the large book under his bed.

As soon as he finished washing up, Zoso entered through the thatch door and smiled at the young Rumpelstiltskin.

"Ah Rumpel, always prepared aren't we?" he set the bags down that he had been carrying over his shoulder and ruffled the young one's hair. He was a frazzled looking old man who was missing a tooth or two and often laughed with a wheeze. Zoso often said he was as ancient as the earth itself but Rumpelstiltskin knew better. He was only as old as the youngest tree in the forest, about half a century or so.

"I brought you fresh vegetables just how you like them and a surprise," he held his hands behind his back as Rumpelstiltskin tried to make out what it was he was hiding.

"This is something very special Rumpel and I need you to take very good care of it for me." The older man's eyes twinkled as he saw the young one brighten up in excitement.

From behind his back he withdrew a small necklace. It was made of the thinnest gold and at the very end had a small pendant hanging from it. "This was my wife's. This is just as beautiful as she was and I want you to keep it safe for me on one condition Rumpel."

"What is is Zoso?" He had kept his gaze on the small piece of jewelery and followed it as it swayed.

"You must promise, once again, to stay as far away from the village as possible and one more thing," the older man's smile had disappeared, replaced by a grim look that showed all his years. "If I am to, er, stop coming for more than a week, you must go deeper into the forest, as far as you can go, and as far away from the village of Avonlea. Can you do this my boy?"

"Is there something wrong?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, not liking his change of tone.

Zoso sighed heavily and tried to return to his cheerful tone.

"No Rumpel, I just wanted to make sure that you would know what to do in case I- in case I have to be called to another place where they might need me. Is it a deal?"

"Yes."

He enjoyed the cool touch of the gold against his skin and found a certain draw to the material. It was as if he could feel it calling him. Rumpelstiltskin fiddled with the necklace and waved to Zoso as he returned to the village, right before the sun was at its highest. Once he knew that the older man was well in the village, he retrieved the book from its hidden place, shut his eyes, and transported himself behind the big oak right before the forest ended. The sun was already at its highest and for a moment he realized it was foolish to have expected her to return to the forest. After a while of pacing, another of enchanting limbs to snap, and trying in vain to read the words on the pages of the book, Rumpelstiltskin decided that she would most likely never return. That was, however, right before he sensed her running towards him.

It was to the right of the pen that retained the few goats of a farmer whose field it was that he spotted Belle. She was running towards him in clothes too regal for the forest. He hadn't realized he was holding his breath until the smaller girl was no more than ten paces away. Her face broke out into a wide sheepish smile as she spotted him.

"Rumpelstiltskin! I am so sorry but I had to escape from Gaston's group of friends." Belle's face was red from the exertion of running but her smile never faltered. Rumpelstiltskin simply looked at her and extended his arm out with the book.

"Thank you, I- I don't know anyone who likes me to read to them. Everyone thinks I'm peculiar and funny for reading as much as I do...do you as well?" Her gaze was cast downwards bringing her curls to rest around her head. When she finally brought up her eyes at his silence, he shook his head no.

Belle stared into his yellow eyes and searched for any sign of judgment only to find that he was looking at her as if she were about to strike him.

"You don't say very much, do you?" His eyes widened as she closed the distance between the two.

"I am not a mute," he replied rather unpleasantly.

"I know, but I will never hear _your_ stories if you do not wish to speak with me."

"I don't have any stories," he said as he studied his shoes intently.

"Then we will just have to make our own, together," Belle said confidently, linking her arm around his. "After I teach you to read and write, of course."

And so he led her up to the stream once more. He struggled to grasp the material but the small girl was as patient as her mother had been with her. The younger girl had learned quickly and new that the best thing for Rumpelstiltskin was to practice.

Belle would study him as he struggled to read and gazed in wonder as the sunlight reflected off of his skin as if it were dusted with gold. A smile escaped her lips as she realized that he was what she had yearned for so long. Rumpelstiltskin was a friend who had taken her how she was: a know-it-all girl who enjoyed the company of books over people. Gaston had claimed to be her loyal friend and yet she would see him grow restless and bored whenever she was reading. The nobles would make strange looks when she would read during balls or tea and they disliked it very much when she was too focused on her book to answer the questions thrown her way.

_She is quite odd, Maurice_.

That had been the first hushed comment she had overheard. The older noblewoman that had said this to her father reminded Belle of a raisin. Her hand would shake and wobble as she would slowly bring her drink to her mouth eliciting a stifled giggle from Belle . If reading bothered them so much, Belle decided that the only thing that could be done was to steal herself from their presence and see to it that Rumpelstiltskin had his reading lesson. Her smile widened as she was brought out of her musings when he stumbled over a word.

"T- twoh?"

"Too," she responded kindly.

**Any comments, questions, and concerns are welcome! So please, feel free to review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to all who read and reviewed. School seemed to be luring me away from this story but I don't see why posting regularly will be a problem from now on. Sigh, I seem to be hopeless and lost without my Robert Carlyle fix until January 6th. Thank goodness for The Full Monty!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the magic in my heart, which belongs to Rumpelstiltskin anyway so...I own nothing.**

It had been a normal day for Zoso. He had gone to the forest and left food for Rumpelstiltskin. From there he had returned to the village and opened shop. Midge, the town hypochondriac, had come into his shop at ten in the morning as she usually did every weekday. She complained that the pain on the right side of her abdomen hadn't gone away to which Zoso replied that it had been on the left side yesterday. A quick story of how it was wondering all over her body and the older man quickly fixed up a remedy of ineffective herbs to help her through the day.

It wasn't until the royal guard appeared that he felt something was off. The officer usually did not appear unless it was the fourth day of the week and today was the first.

"Is- is everything alright?" he asked with uncertainty and fear in his voice.

The guard looked at him with a stony expression. Zoso knew that the people of Avonlea were a skeptical and God-fearing people- as was he. However, it was proven that herbs worked wonders for the ill, something the clerics faithfully denied.

"Lady Audrey wishes you to come to the castle tonight after sunset." It was all the guard said before turning and leaving.

Zoso exhaled a breath he did not realize he was holding and went to collect everything he needed to meet the noblewoman. He waited patiently for the sun to set and once it had he made his way towards the castle. It was a steep climb without a horse-drawn carriage and he felt like he had to beg each leg to carry him forward. The small basket around his arm felt as if it was filled with stones.

By the time he reached the servants' entrance he had to hold onto the door frame to catch his breath. The young servant girl that he had met on all the other visits ushered him inside and led the way to the secret passage that would eventually end in Lady Audrey's quarters.

"M'lady," Zoso bowed and couldn't help but be taken by her breathtaking beauty even if the noblewoman was pale and sickly. She stared at him with cold and unforgiving eyes and let a few moments pass before addressing him.

"I want to get better." Her words were bitter.

"I understand m'lady but we've tried every herb-"

"I CANNOT live like this!" she had sprung up on her feet and sent her side table toppling to the floor. Her maid hurried to her side and begged that she sit down. Lady Audrey sat and began to sob. As the maid went to clean the shards of glass that had been the fine china, the Lady calmed herself.

"Forgive me, I- I appreciate all that you've done already. Please, won't you sit?" Lady Audrey indicated to the chair opposite her. Once he was seated she resumed. "I understand that whatever you have concocted for me has been keeping me alive but I cannot call this living. My little girl is growing with each passing day and I am incapable of being the mother I wanted to be for her. Please, I feel I can't let myself go on like this, it is selfish but-"

"No Lady Audrey, you cannot think that way. I will do everything in my power to find something for you." Zoso felt ashamed at interrupting a noble in such a way. He looked deeply into her brown eyes and found that she had already given up.

"I know what a lost cause is when I see one Zoso. It seems that if I want to elude death then death will creep back into my thoughts and tempt me with ending the pain. I cannot let my girl see me broken. I want her to remember me as I was before the illness." She knew she had called Zoso not to ask him yet again to find something to cure her but to have someone hear that she was ready and have them know why. If anyone else heard of her tactics to staying alive and wishing her death it would surely mean a trip to the clerics.

It was a selfish reason. Lady Audrey knew that taking one's life was a sin but she had been meant to die so long ago. She did not want to leave her daughter but what kind of mother would she be with all her ailments? She could only stand Belle's presence for so long before the pain consumed her and turned her mood for the worse. Her beloved husband did not deserve to be tied down to a woman who could not stand to be in his presence. It was all the pain's doing and she wanted it to stop.

"M'Lady, please, give me some time, I can-"

"It won't be tonight Zoso, or tomorrow night. I have the will to keep living for some time, but it is withering. I must get my affairs in order and I will see to it that you are rewarded rightfully for your services."

He felt his heart sink. This woman was so young and to accept death could only mean that the pain she was living with was unbearable. The remedy was keeping her life going but only to have her experience it in all the wrong ways. Perhaps he should not have offered his services to her.

"Very well M'Lady, I- I'm sorry." He left the basket filled with the herb on his former seat and made to leave.

"It's alright. Make sure the guards lend you the carriage, Maria here will make sure of it. They seem to be very…apprehensive of your services but no one should be subjected to climb that monstrosity of a hill." She smiled sweetly and motioned to Maria so that she join him on his way out.

"Thank you M'Lady." He bowed and exited her quarters with a heavy heart.

* * *

Belle knew she was being followed. After a few months of venturing into the forest she knew what to expect and the sudden feeling at the pit of her stomach alerted her that something was off. She pulled her cloak tighter around her and hugged her books closer to herself.

Rumpelstiltskin had given her specific instructions to meet in the same forest clearing where they had first met. She turned back to check if there was anyone there and continued when she decided there could be no one following. As quickly as the thought left her, she felt a sudden gush of wind send her dress flying up.

"Rumpelstiltskin, you show yourself right NOW!" her bossy tone elicited a giggle from him. "That was very rude of you. You _know_ young ladies aren't to be exposed in the presence of a male!"

He appeared in front of her looking smug and placed his hands out so he could be handed her books. It seemed he had grown taller than Gaston because Belle was forced to tilt her head farther back than she had ever remembered.

"Hm, it's as if you're hiding something down there! What is it? Tentacles? Is that why you wear so many layers? To hide your tentacles-?"

He had but a moment before Belle wrestled him to the floor and yelled "I don't have tentacles!"

"Alright, alright you don't have tentacles." She gracefully stood and dusted her violet dress off before continuing to their favorite spot.

"Hm, one day I'll figure out just what exactly is under all those layers!" He crossed his arms resentfully and enchanted the books to follow them.

"You will do no such thing! Not unless you have permission! My Papa told me so." She sat down haughtily on a pile of leaves before tightening her cloak again. The weather was growing colder and she knew it would become harder for her to venture into the forest.

Rumpelstiltskin grumbled but sat down next to her in silence. Belle had caught on early that Rumpelstiltskin could do nothing if there had to be permission granted. She would have gladly shown him and asked the same of him but she knew her father would not approve. It was something about being a lady and upholding morality. Belle didn't care much for it but it was her parents' wish.

"Here," she handed a small bundle to him which he greedily opened. She knew he did not eat meat so instead she brought him sweets leftover from a dinner her father had hosted.

"Se waja beeng fo meh?" he said through mouthfuls of the confections.

"Rumpelstiltskin you know I cannot understand you when your mouth is full." Oh how she loved to tease him. She knew exactly what he had asked because he asked the same thing every time she came to visit him.

After a painful gulp he looked at her and asked again. "What did you bring for me?" The question always referred to the books.

"Just a few on adventure and one on revenge, I grabbed it by mistake but my father did say it was one of his favorites." She pulled the book from the air. "It's about a man who loses everything because of jealousy but with the discovery of a hidden treasure is able to enact revenge on those who wronged him."

He took the book from her and flipped to the first page. "I hope it has swordfights in it."

Belle's mouth tilted into one of her signature smiles as she listened intently to Rumpelstiltskin's flawless reading. He had picked it up with such ability that it had almost made Belle a little jealous had she been of a jealous nature. His writing skills were just as talented but his penmanship was the only thing he did not excel in.

As he went to turn the page, Belle tensed and turned her gaze towards the way she came.

"What?" Rumpelstiltskin marked his place by folding the corner of the page, something Belle hated.

"Do you hear that?" she stood and let the book lying on her lap fall to the floor.

In the distance the bells of the local church were sounding off a different toll. Rumpelstiltskin knew it wasn't the usual toll that signaled the hour.

"What is it, Belle?" he asked as he also stood.

She ignored his question and instead ran as fast as she could towards the castle.

"BELLE!" The only thought crossing her mind was that of her mother and how she had just spoken to her this morning. Lady Audrey had held on to Belle for a moment longer than she usually did and Belle now knew it was because it was to be the last time she would see her mother.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All characters, plots, and magic belongs to ABC, Disney, Brothers Grimm, etc.**

Three weeks had passed since Belle had run off and left Rumpelstiltskin in the forest. He had automatically cast an invisibility enchantment and followed her all the way until he stood outside of the castle doors. Once there a strange feeling overcame him and he was incapable of crossing that threshold. With a feeling of helplessness he solemnly returned to their previous location in a blink of an eye and retrieved their forgotten books.

Rumpelstiltskin presently sat reading the last page of The Count of Monte Cristo for the third time and sighed as he wondered if she would ever come back. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't hear Zoso approaching.

"Rumpel," he announced as he walked through the doors. The older man was carrying far more than a day's rations. Zoso normally entered the hovel in an upbeat mood. Today, however, he looked fatigued. Upon seeing what was in Rumpelstiltskin's hands he froze and the look that crossed his face scared the young creature.

"How- how did you get that book?"

Rumpelstiltskin inclined his head in shame. "I borrowed it from… a friend." It was hardly an audible whisper but Zoso heard enough to know that he had disobeyed his wish. The older man dropped the bags of food and rushed to where he sat.

"Boy! Didn't I tell you not to go dealing with the village folk! These must belong to nobility, aye?!"

"Y-yes sir." This, too, was barely audible. Nevertheless, Zoso knew that no commoner could ever possess such literature.

"Rumpel, you could have been caught! That person, whoever it is, could have done something- something harmful to you… I forbid you from disobeying me once again! Don't you understand that it's dangerous to be dealing with those people!?" He shook Rumpelstiltskin forcefully with every syllable.

He watched as the older man sat down and placed his head in his hands. Rumpelstiltskin knew that the other villagers were dangerous but not Belle. She was too kind to him and he felt that he could trust her. With a loud sigh Zoso turned to him with saddened eyes.

"I need you to go further into the forest Rumpel. As far as you can go and never come back, do you understand?" His eyes were now pleading with him.

"Why?" Rumpelstiltskin felt as his heart plummeted at the thought of never seeing Zoso or Belle again.

"Something has happened and I am very certain that I will be unable to come into the forest again." Zoso had been careful so that the guards around his home did not follow him but he had to see the boy one last time. "Just know that I will always be with you in spirit and that whatever stories you hear of me are false."

"Zoso-" his words were filled with fear.

"None of that m'boy." He hugged him and held him close before continuing. "You exercise your magic and… make sure you defend yourself always." He said the last part a little apprehensively. "I expect only the best from you and for the whole world to know of it one day but not before you master your skill, understood?"

"Deal," he said through sobs.

"Hah! Now it's set in stone, careful with your dealings Rumpel, they can always backfire, hm? I must go now but you make sure to leave before sunset, understood?" he said as he held Rumpelstiltskin's chin. He nodded into the older man's chest as he embraced him once more.

Zoso made to leave but stopped at the door. He turned back to face Rumpelstiltskin and cleared his throat before speaking again. "You can use that necklace I gave you in exchange for something, if you ever need it…Goodbye Rumpelstiltskin, I expect greatness from you." As Zoso began his trek back to the village he wiped the tears that had silently spilled onto his cheeks. He knew what would happen once he returned to the village. He had known the moment the clerics began to search for whoever supplied the Lady with the "toxic" herbs she had been consuming.

It had been obvious to him that she was to pass because the guard that normally collected the herbs did not show on the fourth day four weeks ago and a week later Lady Audrey died. God only knew how badly he was searching for a cure but it had all been in vain. And then the talk of poisoning had started and it all led to him. It seemed that Lady Audrey had forgotten to keep their secret from the clerics.

He could face dying on any given day. Zoso could even face false imprisonment. Yet, the thought of leaving Rumpelstiltskin to fend for himself sent a wave of emotion through him. It was painful to leave the boy-

No, not the boy; his_ boy. _The old man had never married and thus, never had any children. When he had found the strange creature, he was at first taken aback by its appearance. And then he realized that it resembled a human child. Yes, the skin was a mixture of golden hues atop green and scaly skin. His nails, if not kept, would grow to claw-like lengths and his eyes would surely scare even the bravest of men but he loved Rumpelstiltskin as his own. For all he knew, the boy may have been the product of some demon and a human but he was nothing but a joy to have.

Zoso would be _damned_ if the ignorant villagers touched one hair on his boy's head. It was with great pain that he asked Rumpelstiltskin to alienate himself from them because he knew how he wanted to have some sort of social interaction with him, hence the book. One day he would be powerful enough to defend himself and Zoso hoped it would be soon. Without him to watch over the magical being, it was up to fate to decide how the boy's destiny would unravel. It was a great shame that Zoso would not be able to witness it firsthand.

* * *

Belle knew her mother was sick. She also understood that her mother could eventually die. However, when the clerics had found the herbs under her bed and the maid refused to tell them what they were and where they came from, she felt like her mother had been stolen from her. Her Papa had cried for days and ordered the maid tortured to reveal her secrets. Belle could not fathom the idea of torture but knew it was ordered because the noblewomen in the court could talk of nothing else.

When they laid her mother to rest Belle had placed a single red rose on her casket before they placed her in the ground. The people of the village had shown up and Belle heard as they sang a beautiful song of an ancient language. For that Belle loved them. She knew that she was now to be the Lady of the castle and in that moment she swore to serve them as best as she could no matter what.

It took two weeks for Maria, the maid, to confess that it had been a village medicine man that had supplied her mother with the poisonous herbs. The look in her father's eyes had never been so frightening to Belle. That was until today as he looked upon the village medicine man with a mixture of disgust and hatred on his face. Belle was frightened as they stood on a platform, some distance away from where they were tying the man, named Zoso, to a wooden pole perpendicular to the floor. The guards had placed several logs and straw around the man, obscuring his lower half. Maria, her mother's maid, had also been tied to the same stake and dressed in nothing but her shift. With every passing moment Belle hung closer to her father and knew in her heart that killing was wrong but this _was_ a punishment. She gathered all the courage she had to recognize that this was right because it was the law.

"Gaston," her father called harshly. The young boy gleefully skipped to where his godfather was.

"Yes Sir?"

"Could you hold Belle for me?" Her father had never pushed her away and she felt as Gaston wrapped his arms around her, relieving her of the hold she had on her father.

"Aren't you excited?" he whispered. Gaston wore a stupid smile that sent chills throughout her body. "Look, it's starting!"

Belle's eyes grew as the flames rose higher and higher. And then the screaming started and she was unable to look away even though she desperately wanted to.

* * *

He knew Zoso had asked him not to venture into the village ever again but he had to say goodbye to Belle. He also had to return her books, the rest which had been tucked beneath his bed. So, with a heavy heart, he returned to the village with all four books in hand. If he couldn't see her one last time he had planned to simply leave the books outside with a note scribbled into The Count of Monte Cristo and hoped that she would come across them.

Rumpelstiltskin wanted so desperately to see her face one last time and he picked up his pace. As he headed up towards the castle he felt as ten or more villagers rushed past him in the opposite direction. At first he thought nothing of it until he turned back and saw the flames in the middle of the town square. A few buildings blocked his view and his curiosity called him towards the commotion. Perhaps even Belle was there.

As he rounded a corner he met a wall of villagers all shouting and facing the growing flames. And then he heard the screams of a woman pierce the air. Rumpelstiltskin had to see what was in the center. The villagers stared in wonder as some invisible force swept past and pushed them aside. He stared in horror as flames engulfed two figures that he could not make out past the blazes. Cheering to his far right brought his gaze to where she was. Belle was clothed in all black and stared towards the flames with a blank expression. The boy that had pushed her to the ground when they first met had his hands around her and to that, Rumpelstiltskin sneered.

A scream brought his attention back to the flames in front of him. It took a moment to distinguish who the individuals were but once he did he felt as his whole body tensed. There, in the middle of all the flames, were Zoso and some unknown woman screaming out in pain.

"ZOSO!" he yelled, sending the villagers back in fear as his voice was magnified.

"RUMPEL, RUN!" Zoso yelled painfully.

Rumpelstiltskin tried in vain to stop the flames with his magic but it only caused them to become larger. Why wouldn't anyone help him? He turned to see the villagers' faces and saw only contempt and joy. Tears welled in his eyes and he felt something he had never felt before- pure rage.

He turned back to Zoso and found him no longer thrashing in pain but hanging limply with his head cast down. Something was rising in him and when he let out a roar of anger, a blinding light engulfed the village. The people all cowered and on the platform the people dressed in all white all roared with victory. Rumpelstiltskin tensed once more, took one last look to where they all were, even Belle, and sent a wave of magic their way. He had meant for them all to topple over, be hurt, or simply burn as Zoso was but all that happened was the gush of wind that sent smoke and the smell of burning flesh their way. Belle's eyes immediately grew but he didn't care if she knew he was here or not. All he wanted was to leave the wretched village and maybe someday, if he could gather up the strength, enact his revenge on them. All of them.

**AN: Thanks to all for reviewing and reading! Seeing my email explode with love and kindness is always a good way to keep me writing (cough-wink). I will be increasing this story's rating to M seeing as it just turned somewhat graphic. I am sorry for that but I also seem to have some **_**other**_** plans (not for modest eyes) but those will be revealed in due time. Thank you and I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season!**

**P.S. I am REALLY sorry for not one but three deaths but I **_**had **_**to. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for your reviews, favorites, and follows. They certainly inspire me to not abandon the story. And now, to make up for the last chapter, I bring you chapter 5...**

**Disclaimer: All characters, similar plots, and magic belong to ABC, Disney, Brother's Grimm, etc.**

****000000000

It had taken Rumpelstiltskin ten years to fully master his magic. He had done just as Zoso asked and ventured deeper into the forest. It was there that he had discovered just how powerful he really was. One day when he was hungry and without food, he told his stomach to not be hungry. And since then he hadn't experienced anything close to hunger. When he had traveled for days and needed sleep, he told his body to not be tired and he never tired again. One day, as he gazed upon a small pond and saw his reflection, he realized he had grown enough and willed his body, which grew somewhat faster than that of humans, to stop aging.

He could feel the magic all around him and he learned to harness it. It had always been there but it had taken complete isolation from any human to understand how it worked. The animals feared him but he learned to control them eventually. A wolf that once confronted him had been an excellent opportunity for Rumpelstiltskin to practice a kill and he did it flawlessly.

But he had also learned from them. The animals had to hunt for what they wanted. Some were very cunning when waiting for their prey to emerge from where they hid. It was this patience that taught him the meaning of a good kill. Patience and a calculating nature meant the animal was almost always successful. Because his hatred of the humans had consumed him he chose to act more animalistic than anything.

Rumpelstiltskin had emerged on the other side of the forest into a kingdom and land much different than Avonlea. He no longer hid by making himself invisible, that was a habit left behind so many years ago. No, now he walked with confidence and loved to see the fear in human eyes. It was irresistible to make them squirm and beg for their lives.

He understood that he wasn't the only magical being in all the land. Fairies seemed to give out magic to humans as if it were their right. So he took to killing them off one by one. No human deserved magic especially that silly woman who wanted to give up _anything_ to be given riches and status. And that was when the brilliant idea hit him. Oh, he could conjure gold, piles of it, as he could jewels. So with a fashionable entrance he offered her riches in return for an obscure price (he had everything and he was at a loss when it came to what to ask for). Stupid girl was so desperate that she signed his extravagant contract without thoroughly reading it. Rumpelstiltskin made it all up as he went but felt extremely delighted when she signed the binding document, which was laced with magic.

It had taken some time for him to decide on a price. Mothers always seemed to hold their children closely when he passed by so when he sensed that she was with child he decided that she would surely refuse his price; her first born would surely make her break her contract. The document specified that if she failed to pay his price it would mean death for the wretch. When it came time to collect, however, she gave the babe willingly. Her first born! _Hah_, he thought to himself, _humans and their need for material possessions_. He had expected her to cry and beg but being surrounded by castle walls and jewels seemed to calm her significantly. It had disappointed him that she had complied so easily but the newfound thrill in making deals inspired a new fire in Rumpelstiltskin. Yes, he enjoyed watching just how low humans could sink to.

Rumpelstiltskin had, once again, confirmed that humans were vile and evil creatures but the babe seemed so defenseless, as he himself had once been. Its blue eyes reminded him of a friend so long ago and he sighed as he closed his eyes to search the land for another desperate soul.

000000000

Maria had redone the stitching in her slightly damaged skirt for the fourth time. _Where is my head, _she thought as once again she began. Normally she was calm and collected but the news of her sister's successful birthing had brought her both joy and a saddened disposition. The babe was her sister's fourth child. Maria had been the oldest of twelve sisters, all of the younger ones now married and raising children. And here she was, married to one of the richest merchants in the land, nearing her thirty-ninth year and childless.

Her husband, Michael, had in a way won her hand by exposing the sisters' midnight escapades, something she still denied to this day. He had loved her then and still did to this day but she had failed to give him children. She could see it in his eyes sometimes; it was a longing expression that she herself had worn on one or more occasions. They knew their riches would be passed down to a most unfortunate cousin of Michael's. He was a greedy man who reeked of incivility and who squandered his own riches on whores and gambling.

"Good afternoon, love," he said as he kissed the top of her raven-curled head. Michael was a strong man for his age and often found himself on the docks working as he had once done in his youth. "Still working on that stitching?"

Maria placed the fabric in her lap, her frustration clear for him to see. Her husband sighed and walked over to where she sat, kneeling so she could see his face. He placed both her hands in his and kissed them.

"I know that having all your sisters be mothers while you cannot is frustrating you but believe me when I say Maria that I love you with or without children. God may not have given us children but he gave us love and for that I am truly happy." She took her hands from his and began to sob uncontrollably.

"Oh, Michael," she said once her sobs softened, "I would give _anything _for us to have a child."

"Seems like you're in luck," a high pitched voice rang out, startling both and sending the man backwards as he fixed his eyes on what had intruded on their moment

Standing in the corner by the settee was a beast with a bundle in his arms. He was clothed in skins similar to that of a crocodile and wearing a smile that bared his beastly teeth. What was most alarming was the tone of his skin, a mixture between a vile green and a golden hue.

"No need to be startled, _dearies._ I come baring a deal."

The man quickly stood and placed his spouse behind him. Although Rumpelstiltskin was of slight stature, taller than the woman but not the man, he had frightened them to the point of shivering.

"What is it you want from us?" the male asked willing his body to still enough to speak to the creature.

"Ohhhh, let's just say I knew you two were in need of a child and lo and behold, here it is." He skillfully tossed the babe into the arms of the woman who expected the child to fall forcefully into her arms but instead, was placed there gently by some sort of magic. Maria's heart welled with joy as she saw the babe was sound asleep in her arms.

"_Michael!" _she exclaimed. He too looked upon the child and turned to the creature before him. "Where did you take this child from?"

"You can trust in me when I say this child was abandoned by a heartless wench. The babe can be completely yours and when I say that I mean that no one will ever question his lineage. All of that for a price of course."

Rumpelstiltskin placed his hands behind his back and began to circle the pair.

"Face it, your lovely wife has come to that ripe old age where, well, if you haven't had a child, then it's too bad. However, what I offer is like gold. All your relatives, servants, pets, whatever, will remember this child as being yours. From its conception to its birth, now what do you say?" he explained, raising his eyebrows expectantly and splaying his arms in a playful yet sinister manner.

The couple looked between the two and then to the child within the woman's arms. _How pathetic,_ he mused.

"What is your price?" the woman asked.

_What _is _my price? _Rumpelstiltskin asked himself. "Well, I won't ask for your life. That's for sure." Although it was selfish of them to accept an orphan (he used the term ambiguously) only on the grounds that it would never be denied as theirs when there were countless others without mothers and fathers, he could not blame them for caring for the babe at first sight.

He knew if he had had a mother he would be reluctant to part with her. It would be a mother for a child then.

"I want the memories of your mother, in exchange for this child." He had been pointing at the husband. The man's eyes widened in surprise; Michael knew his mother was long dead but she had always been a kind mother. He looked upon the face of his wife and knew that this was the only opportunity to keep the child and have it be truly theirs without conceiving it. God only knew just how long they had tried to conceive. His wife had always voiced her wish while he had only prayed for a child in silence to keep her from feeling that she had failed him. He loved her with his whole spirit and if this was to bring her happiness then it was worth his own sacrifice.

"Very well." He screamed as Rumpelstiltskin touched his temple and painfully retrieved his memories.

Images of a woman surfaced in Rumpelstiltskin's personal memories and he saw that she was pure joy and love. Satisfied and a bit jealous of all who ever had a mother, he heard as Michael asked, "Who are you?"

Rumpelstiltskin wrinkled his nose because he had honestly never thought of what to say to these humans should they ask who he was.

"Just call me," he began, back turned towards them. "The Dark One" and he was gone with a puff of purple smoke.

* * *

Talk of a creature that granted magic in exchange for strange prices soon spread throughout the land and true to his words, Rumpelstiltskin became the greatest power throughout the whole land. Having a fairy grant you magic meant being pure of heart, which Rumpelstiltskin knew, was very unlikely throughout the land. He was just making it easier for even the most wretched of humans to deal for magic. They should be thanking him for offering such a service (which eventually ended in their demise, whether it be death or ruin was up to them). They could go to any lengths to acquire riches, beauty, and to satisfy their carnal needs.

Today's deal focused on the carnal needs of a very rich prince that ruled over a fairly sized duchy. His deepest desire was that he wanted to lay with the beautiful daughter of a peasant in town who had refused herself to him on many previous occasions.

"I'm sure I can pay whatever price you wish," he said snobbishly as he fixed himself a drink. The room they sat in was adorned with tapestries and carpets imported from Agrabah. The very chair that Rumpelstiltskin sat in had once seated a king or two but he chose to sit in it as if it were just a useless pile of leaves. His hands were places so that only the fingertips met and he stared intently at the design on the hideous carpet.

"Why is it that you want her again?"

"Well, she's beautiful, I can't spend the day without thinking of her at least once-"

"WRONG," he yelled bitterly. The fire in the hearth emitted a hissing sound and the prince was sent back into the drinks, spilling most onto the hideous carpet. Rumpelstiltskin stood and placed his hands behind his back.

"Why don't you stop this idiotic talk and tell me the _real_ reason you want her." He stared directly into the other man's eyes and brandished an evil and sinister look his way.

The prince cleared his throat, looked away and responded. "Because she denied me."

A loud and disturbing giggle filled the room. It was frightening but the prince stood completely still as if moving would cause the beast to kill him where he stood.

"There, that wasn't so hard…see if only you had made that clear before I wouldn't have been so puzzled. And what makes you think that I'd be able to do such a thing without her permission?" he said tauntingly, playing with a few trinkets the prince had on a grand desk. After many deals Rumpelstiltskin had learned that in order to trade actions by humans he would have to ask for their consent. Oh, he would find a way to get them to do what he asked but he loved to taunt.

"Well, I'm sure you have the power and magic to make her mine. That's obvious…"

"Aye, but I cannot simply _make_ her come into your bed. I would have to have her permission and that I highly doubt I will get if she already denied you on many occasions, am I right?"

The prince nodded silently to Rumpelstiltskin's back.

"I'm sure there are other lovelier ladies that would gladly give themselves to you. With a handsome face as yours and a strong lad at that," Rumpelstiltskin sat cross-legged on the desk and waited for the royal to go for the bait.

"I'll give you _anything _but I must lay with her and no one else."

The corner of his green and gold colored mouth lifted into a smirk worthy of a sly fox. "Well, _anything _does sound like a good price. Let me think about it for a day and I am sure I will outwit this girl into climbing into bed with you." He giggled one last time before disappearing in a cloud of smoke and reappearing in a field where a young woman tended a herd of sheep. She was plain and humble but the fire in her spirit spoke of years of hard work and good character.

He waited patiently for her to spot him and smiled a toothy grin win she was close enough to see him.

"Who-who are you?" She held her stick in front of her as if afraid he would devour her right then and there.

"The Dark One, at your service," Rumpelstiltskin replied, exaggerating his bow.

"I don't wish to be dealing with the likes of you," her hazel eyes and dark skin entranced him; he had yet to see a person as different as he when it came to looks and her skin tone set her apart from most humans. Her beauty, however, was obvious and the idiotic prince may have had some reason behind his request.

"Ah-ah-ah, perhaps I can make it worth your while." He conjured a mirror taller than she had ever seen before and stared in wonder as it reflected her image. It was her alright but the tattered rags were gone and in their place was a beautiful gown and jewels.

"See dearie, I can offer you riches and most importantly, _comfort._ I'm sure your mother can only go so far in this world before succumbing to what all humans end with. And then where would you be? Back here, herding sheep all by yourself and wishing you had taken what was once offered to you," Rumpelstiltskin whispered dangerously into her ear and with a snap of his fingers the mirror disappeared.

"My mother and I have everything we need. Anything we want will just have to wait." She turned to tend to her sheep before he spoke again.

"Dearie, what's your name?"

She hesitated before answering. "Tiana." It was as if she were stuck there because she did not return to her sheep at once.

"Well, _Tiana_," he said, putting special emphasis on her name, "can you tell me why you don't wish to be with that wealthy prince?"

At this she whirled around and frowned. "Who, Naveen? Ha, he's the most spoiled, snobbish, and womanizing man I have ever met and I'd rather toil in misery out here than simply sell myself for the promise of jewels and riches. There's nothing wrong in working hard, _sir._"

"You've got a point," he responded playfully and pointed his finger at her. "Nevertheless, I am here to make a deal. _I _will offer you comfort, in exchange for your hospitality."

"You wish to stay here?" her look of bewilderment sent Rumpelstiltskin into a laughing frenzy.

"No dear, for a friend of mine. Let's just say if you ever come across a frog that needs a place to stay, you shall offer it to him and treat him as any guest you would ever have. After a time of, oh let's say, half a year you shall have those riches and comforts. But you must remember to be hospitable."

Tiana burst out in laughter. He decided he actually liked this girl. She was just a little less idiotic than the other humans he had met, but none of the desperate souls had ever laughed willingly in his presence.

"Right, well, I don't have time for nonsense-"

"Well if it's nonsense then why not agree to it anyways?"

She gave him an exasperated look before caving in. "Fine… I suppose I'll have to let this frog sleep in my own bed as well, huh?" she asked sarcastically.

"Perfect! The deal is struck, My Lady." He was gone with a bow and she was left there staring in amazement at the place where he had stood.

Naveen, the prince, was pacing back and forth in his library when he heard the imp return.

"Don't tire yourself too much. You'll need your strength for…tonight."

"So she said yes?!" the foolish prince exclaimed as he stood straighter and walked pompously towards Rumpelstiltskin.

"Aye," he replied casually draping himself on the settee. "You lay with her tonight in her bed. She will also allow you to be a guest in her home whenever you desire. Do we have a deal?" the last line was spoken with pure evil.

"Yes, yes I told you already, _anything_." There was a large mirror in the room and the foolish prince stood before it straightening his uniform and medals.

"The deal is struck then. Now, _Naveen,_ for my price I ask that you grant me your good looks."

Prince Naveen's eyes grew to the size of saucers and he looked at the beast through his mirror. It was as if someone had just told him that the world's food supply had ended. The nobleman turned to stare daggers at the beast sitting so casually on the settee.

"What?! You stupid imp! You-"

In a flash, Rumpelstiltskin had rushed over to the prince, placed his hand around his throat and lifted him against the mirror. "Now, now _dearie_. Not backing out of our deal our we?"

The prince had turned a dangerous shade of blue and nodded no. The smaller but stronger beast let go slowly and turned to resume his place on the settee.

"Face it, you'll still be rich, still have your castle, but most importantly, Tiana will be entirely yours. So make sure you show up to her home tonight and she will be forced to let you _lay_ in her bed."

He unfurled a contract from thin air and held out a quill. Naveen approached him and snatched the document from his hands but chose to use his own quill at his desk. Once his signature was there, Rumpelstiltskin magically sent it away and stood to smooth out his dragon hide coat.

"Now, this will only hurt a little," he finished. As he pointed his finger at the handsome prince, a cloud of purple smoke enveloped the nobleman and once it disappeared only a pile of embroidered clothing remained. Oh how Rumpelstiltskin loved dealing with humans. It gave him great joy to see their wishes backfire on as little as a technicality.

"You tricked me!" the little frog exclaimed from beneath a pile of clothing. With great strength it was able to pop out and carefully staggered towards the imp.

"Oh, did you mean you wanted to have _intercourse _with the girl? Oops, I suppose '_laying' _with her will have to do."

Rumpelstiltskin doubled over as his laughter filled the room. "The beauty in words never fails to amaze me. Congratulations dearie, I think my work here is done."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and plots belong to their rightful owners; ABC, Disney, Brothers Grimm**

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin had no idea who to deal Naveen's good looks to. There were a few individuals who were in need of attractiveness but none were so desperate as to elicit that excitement that he craved from making deals out of desperation. So after acquiring a rather large estate in the mountains of the kingdom of Locke, which he dubbed Dark Castle, he decided to venture into the small town at the base of the peak. With a flick of his hand he felt as he was transformed to look like the spoiled prince. _Disgusting,_ he thought as he walked towards the local pub. He wanted to see just how the townspeople had reacted to having the Dark One be their lord and maybe drink a pint or two without having to turn all the villagers to snails. He'd decided since he settled down that perhaps an ounce of civility was owed to his neighbors, albeit human ones. They would eventually become useful to him but it was better if they were still alive.

When he entered the pub, he had expected gasps and screams and remembered that he was disguised. What he did receive was a flashy smile from the lone woman serving ale. Her wavy red hair clashed dramatically with the rest of the brown that decorated the drinking establishment. Straw was strewn all across the floor, no doubt to catch the vomit of those fools unable to hold their spirits. Rumpelstiltskin soon found however that the atmosphere of the pub was anything but spirited.

As he made his way towards the bar he could feel more than one pair of eyes on him. Perhaps he could turn a few of them into snails after all. His thoughts were interrupted as a female voice called out to him.

"What can I get for you?" The voice belonged to the girl working at the bar. She batted her eyelashes and leant over the counter so that her bosoms almost spilled out of her clothing. With a last look towards the other occupants of the pub he sat on a stool and faced the girl.

"Just a pint." She served him swiftly and ignored the new customers that sat themselves at the farthermost corner of the pub.

"Tell me, what do you know about your new tenant up in that big castle?" he followed with a drink of his ale never once taking his eyes off of hers. He reveled in the taste of the drink and for a moment felt completely relaxed. He often had to deal inside establishments such as the one where he sat now and was often bought drinks. Most were foolish to think that the Dark One could be made to soften the price with ale.

"_Well_, they say he's some beast that steals children away at night and takes advantage of virgins while they're fast asleep. The town elder has already warned us to not be going up there." She refilled his drink and played with the rim of the pitcher. "Some have packed their belongings and left town."

"Aren't _you_ afraid?"

Rumpelstiltskin felt as she casually brushed her hand against his. She drew herself closer and stared straight into his eyes. It wasn't like him to lose a staring match but there would be no need to stare had she known who he really was. His gaze was averted to his hand resting on the counter which was still covered by one of her own. Where there once were black nails and green-gold skin there now was a tan skin tone and pale nails. He quickly withdrew his hand from under her freckled one and brought the ale back up to his lips.

"Luckily I haven't any children and I ain't a virgin, looks like I'll be safe from that beast." The look she sent him caused him to choke down his most recent mouthful of ale and struggle for breath.

"That's…_interesting."_

* * *

During the last thrusts of their activity he realized just why Naveen had been so eager and willing to agree to the deal. His good looks got him women and with women came pleasure. How he ended up on top of this woman he could not remember. It seemed that with every movement his mind blanked more and more. Had he known that this was what it felt like perhaps he would have allowed Naveen to have Tiana. Yes, this was pleasurable for him and he figured it was for her as well; the sounds he elicited from her were so animalistic that he wondered if she herself was under some sort of disguise as well.

His own anatomy was very similar to that of the male human's anatomy with the exception of the skin tone and texture, of course. Where human flesh was smooth and flushed when excited, his had the texture similar to that of scales and a skin tone that glittered in the sunlight. The long legs wrapped tightly around him were smooth and pale. Their skin tones were slightly mismatched and if he had been his true self their tones would have clashed drastically. His thoughts were brought to a standstill as she wrapped her legs even tighter around him.

It was at that precise moment that he recalled a memory from what seemed like a lifetime before. One where he told _someone _that he'd see just exactly what was under all those layers. Rumpelstiltskin chuckled inwardly as he thought _well, I know what's under _her_ layers. _A pair of bright cerulean eyes flashed across his mind. He blinked rapidly and willed the memory to disappear. A moment passed before he abruptly stopped his motions and climbed off the wench.

His thoughts were now clean from distraction and he berated himself for succumbing to petty temptations.

"Where are you going?!" she demanded, reaching out to grab hold of his hand which he slapped away as if burned by it.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he yelled. The redhead cowered slightly and watched as he magically procured clothes on his person. She stifled a scream and covered herself with the wrinkled sheets.

"Are you-?"

"Oh shut the _hell_ up. You had it coming." With a flourish of his hand he disappeared in a puff of purple smoke and arrived just outside of Tiana's small hovel. He removed the prince's looks and summoned the frog from where he rested on her bed. If his calculations were correct, in a fortnight Tiana would be receiving her wealth and also forgetting the frog completely.

"You!" the frog exclaimed, trying his best to whisper. The night was cold and illuminated solely by the bright light of the full moon. It hopped onto the windowsill and stared intently at the beast that had transformed him into his current self.

"My, my, is that the thanks I get for giving you what you _asked _for?" he sat gracefully on a small bench just underneath the window sill.

"You know what you did. All I've gotten are glimpses of her undressing before she shoos me away like some _pet_!"

"Aye," began Rumpelstiltskin examining his hand as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. "But you do lay with her each and every night? With her and her alone…"

The frog stared daggers at the imp. "Why did you come, to taunt me? I've been through enough already."

"Oh really? Please, elaborate on your troubles, I have all the time in the world." He crossed his legs and stared intently at the little frog. The small animal let out a sigh and what resembled a slumping of the shoulders followed.

"She's… perfect. I-I haven't told her who I was but she treats me well and I have never met a woman before with such an ability to work. I feel useless not being able to help her. It seems all I am good for is taking from her and not giving anything back. Tiana, she…she's everything I am not. She's kind, funny, and the way she dances, gods, I just…I wish I had known this- known _her_ before I made that stupid deal with you…"

"But you did know her silly frog!"

"Yes but I was selfish. Please turn me back, if I had just one more chance-"

"That's out of the question," Rumpelstiltskin interjected. "If you wanted easy magic, you should have gone to see a fairy."

"I…I see." His tone implied that he was hopeless. His eyes fogged and he made to retreat back into the small hovel.

"Tiana," he began, "is to acquire wealth in a fortnight. She will forget everything about you and you will be left to fend for yourself."

Naveen hesitated. "I am happy for her." Rumpelstiltskin had never experienced anything like this. All his previous clients had done whatever possible to secure their own happiness first, even when the deal went sour.

He had decided that the frog was to be left as is. It was what he would have done in any other deal. After all, Rumpelstiltskin was not known for his merciful ways. He surprised himself with the next set of words.

"I will return you to your former self," he said, relishing the thought of ridding himself of such a temptation, "if you can get her to kiss you in less than a fortnight. Even if by some insurmountable chance you accomplish this I cannot guarantee that she will be as fond of you as you are of her."

The frog's eyes illuminated with hope. "I just need her to know that I do love her, before she leaves that is. Being a green creature doesn't exactly give me the confidence I once had to speak with her about my feelings." The frog turned around once more and left with one last look of faith.

* * *

_Love_. He had heard that word tossed around a few times but he had never seen how these humans actually acquired the feeling. He walked around the bazaar while sorting his thoughts, the marketplace now empty because he had appeared. There were the usual lamps from Agrabah but he knew he had the only true magical lamp. The same went for the flying carpet and Golden Fleece. He rounded a corner and saw what had called him in the first place sitting amongst a pile of wood.

"Boy." He called out to the child sitting casually behind the stall adjacent to the pile.

"Y-yes sir?" his trepidation caused Rumpelstiltskin to smirk.

"What's that?" The boy followed his gaze towards the wheel.

"It's a spinning wheel, sir. To make yarn and such but 'tis broken sir, using it for fire wood we are."

Rumpelstiltskin appreciated honesty even if he himself could never truly be entirely honest to any human.

"What's your price?" He willed the wheel to lift itself from the pile.

"Half a penny, sir."

"Let's make a deal, the spinning wheel for an enchanted sword."

"Sir?" the child's eyes widened in both fear and awe.

"I'll let you have an enchanted sword for the spinning wheel but you have to promise me a favor, what do you say?"

The boy looked upon the frightening beast dressed in its signature dragon hide coat. He came every week but never so much as glanced his way. The creature's reptilian eyes stared deeply into his now.

"Deal."

Rumpelstiltskin let out a childish giggle as he realized he now had someone to slay the dragon. It wasn't his business to slay a dragon for another human; he would simply have another do the favor for him. With a flourish of his hand a sword twice as long as the boy appeared between the two and the boy reached out to grasp the hilt in awe. As soon as he touched the hilt the sword toppled to the floor in a loud clank. Of course, it would be years before the boy was ready but an early start never hurt anyone.

He summoned both the wheel and himself into his castle and set himself to watching the wheel spin. It wobbled where it was broken but nothing he couldn't fix in a second. It had called to him in the same manner that the necklace made of gold around his neck did so many years ago. The painful memories came flooding in and he found that the rhythmic motion of the wheel chased them back. Rumpelstiltskin conjured a pile of straw and placed it within the wheel's compartment for material and watched as it exited as a heavy string of gold. Oh how he loved alchemy. He would now be accomplishing two acts in one; conjuring gold for those souls desperate for riches and assuring that memories of cerulean eyes would be forgotten with the spinning of the wheel.

He had lost track of time when he realized that he had spun enough gold to buy a very large duchy. His thoughts all came rushing past him as the spinning wheel came to a halt and he realized it was the last day for Prince Naveen to get the peasant girl to kiss him. It was an impossible feat. He knew humans were wary of whatever was not like them and Tiana would certainly uphold that fact. It was absurd to even give them the time of day and wait for his magic to be summoned and yet that's exactly what he did.

So he paced for a while and berated himself for in a sense, stalling. In a moment of desperation and complete boredom he decided to explore the castle. He hadn't had enough curiosity to explore before and he didn't have it today but simply looking over things would suffice for now. The castle had become quite filthy since he took to his spinning. However, he was wealthy enough not to care.

He walked past a set of double doors that he had yet to enter and chose to do just that. Inside the doors was one of the land's largest libraries. He sighed as he looked up into the countless rows of books and ladders leading to them. It was both beautiful and ugly; the thought of reading literature reminded him of his painful memories, all of them stored beneath years of mischief and malice. Rumpelstiltskin beckoned a book of adventure towards him and the first book in the genre was sent flying towards him. If it hadn't been for his magic being summoned he would have actually began to read the piece of literature instead of staring blankly at it.

* * *

Belle knew it was past midnight when she woke with a start. A thin veil of sweat covered her entire body and it took a moment for her to stabilize her breathing. It had been the same dream. It was always that dream. The memory always snaked back into her dreams in the form of blazes that she could not escape. She had never fully recovered from seeing her mother's killers being burned at the stake. Her arms instantly wrapped around her knees as she remembered the smell and subsequent screaming, especially the woman's. And then there was a blinding white light and a gush of wind and she _knew_ that he had been there. It had been fifteen years since she last saw him but she knew he had been real.

She reached out to the gas lamp beside her table and turned it to a setting that wouldn't bother her eyes too much. Since the burning she refused to have a fire lit in her quarters. Belle had also become more of a recluse and found refuge in reading.

The ladies of the court did not approve, especially since she was now twenty-two and without children of her own. She felt the stares and heard the whispers. Her father tired of her with each passing day and a year ago had betrothed her to Sir Gaston. To this day he still smelt of smoke and burning flesh to her.

The wedding should have taken place in the summer but that was when the ogres had come. If she thought nothing worse could have plagued her small duchy the ogres had proven her otherwise. Her father had sent all their men to fend them off but their numbers dwindled with each day. Avonlea's days were numbered. Many had blamed their ill fortune on the burning of Zoso and Maria, which proved a truer theory with each new misfortune that befell the region. Belle cried silently as she felt the desperation hit her.

It did not matter that her dresses had become limited in style or that food had become a bit bland at dinner time. What she did find important to her were all the lives that were being lost in the fight with those beasts. She felt helpless in her place at the castle. Like a useless china doll that was just for show and boosting morale. It had taken all her courage to appear before her people and not begin to sob as they wore a look of resentment; resentment towards all of them, especially her.

Lord Maurice could try to convince her otherwise but she accepted the truth. Her people had looked for a person to direct their offense to and they had decided it was to be fixed on her. It came naturally from such a suspicious people. Belle was a young woman (who many exclaimed to be quite beautiful) who had not married and had spent her youth focusing all her attention on books. Many noblemen had courted her and had attended the balls her father had once held but to their surprise Belle would reject the pleasure of their company and instead opt for reading. At the dinner table she read, during tea she read, and during potential courting opportunities she read.

A theory had once surfaced that the nobles were cursed after burning Zoso and Belle was doomed to die an old maid. It had hurt hearing that but she rather die an old maid than give up her freedom._ Why must I be so selfish?_ Her people were close to starving and the upcoming winter would surely take its toll on them. And here she was, sitting comfortably in her room with no huger pains or disease and defending her right to be alone. _If only Mama was here_. Lady Audrey's memory was still loved by the people. Belle felt she would never amount to anything in her people's hearts but she searched her memories to find something her mother had once said.

_Do the brave thing and bravery will follow._

The words swam through her mind reminding her of how beautiful her mother's voice had been. Belle rubbed her tears away only to start sobbing again. She had prayed every night for the last three months for help of any kind but the neighboring kingdoms had their own troubles but she knew they would help had they been a better investment. Saving Avonlea was not in anyone's best interest except theirs. It felt like the world hat turned its back on them.

* * *

**Special thanks to all who have reviewed, read, and followed. You guys are great! **

**I think I can still get away with a T rating. What do you guys think? And everyone has those basic carnal needs so there you go Rum (leave him alone he was just being curious, but as they say, curiosity killed the crocodile). As always remember to review and let me know your thoughts, questions, and concerns. *****Cue sad music*** You too can save the life of a fairy for as little as a review. So please, review now. 


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